How Do The Oilers Fix This? | Craig Button’s Thoughts!

How Do The Oilers Fix This? | Craig Button’s Thoughts!

Craig Button with us on the show this morning. He is our GS Construction hockey insider on the Firehouse Subs Hotline. Uh the Evon Oilers, they almost got it done last night. They’re up one- nothing for the majority of the hockey game after getting a rare Frederick goal early. Um were outshot pretty heavily 25 to1 over the final 40 minutes. Pickard made a bunch of good saves along the way and then Paul puts one up top late and they ended up losing it in overtime. But yeah, part of me wants to go, well, they defend so much better. I mean, they still gave up 35 shots, but I I thought the effort like there was there was an effort there last night, Craig, that we hadn’t really seen much from this team so far. So, when you’ve struggled as much as they have, is it possible to build on last night or not? Absolutely. I I don’t I I thought Listen, take away the shot after the second period, they I mean, the the the rush chances against, the high danger chances against, turnover chances against, they were right low. Now, obviously, you’re playing your sixth period in 24 hours, and you know, you got a team in Tampa Bay that’s going to get some more opportunities. I think you can understand that. So, I think that that got skewed a little bit towards a third period. Listen, that was a game that the Oilers, if they play that game, they’re going to win a lot of games. They’re going to win a lot of games playing that way. They they weren’t taking chances. They weren’t making poor decisions. They were really what what I would call five players connected defensively. Obviously, Pickard played good. you needed that. But that I I I I said yesterday on SC, I said, “We all know where the problems are. What do they got to do to be better? Make better decisions in the offensive zone. I’m talking about the defense pinching, support high, you know, don’t chase outside the dots in the defensive zone. Open up the slot. They I thought they really played well. And keep this in mind, and you guys know this, and the Edmonton Oilers fans know this. I Sometimes you just got to show the players, hey, listen, this isn’t about learning something new. It’s about doing something you’ve done really well. And I think that that game last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning on a backto back is a really good template. It’s a really good opportunity for them to build on it. And sometimes you just got to show yourself what you’re capable of or or remind yourself. In the case of the Oilers, I thought they they deserve to win last night. You guys know there’s games that they’ve had this year where they didn’t where they didn’t. Well, they got the W, but it wasn’t one that was really earned. Shall we say last night was a game that they earned the W. They didn’t get it, but I thought they were really really good. I mean, the the save that Vaselleski made at in overtime before the against score. I mean I mean it’s like, oh, you got to be kidding me. But we’ve seen the Oilers pop that one, too. And I I they play like that, they’re going to win a lot of games. You’re right, Greg. The Oilers 99 and five, 23 points. You know, a couple out of a wild card spot this morning. Um, but I want to get your thoughts. Like there’s reports the Predator open for business. Montreal, you looking for some forward help. There’s teams now talking. We’ve kind of hit that stage, right, where we’re maybe maybe whispers in the wind, shall we say. Do you feel that, you know, Stan Bowman, and as hard as it can be, and I’m not looking for any like specific answers from you in terms of players or positioning, um, but do you get a sense that this team does need to do something to shake up the roster, you know, at that beginning of December before Christmas, other than just waiting for a new Jura Captain to come back? Yeah. Well, one of the things, Eric, that I think too is is that when you know your team is capable of playing better, that’s the first thing you need to do. You need to start functioning because if you start just looking outside to fix your problems that are fixable by the group and understand that like the group is capable, I think that’s the first thing. It’s like, yeah, you’re always looking to strengthen your team, bolster your lineup if that happens. But if you’re looking to to add players from the outside when your team isn’t functioning that like you’re I think that becomes a bigger problem because now it’s like oh yeah well this per player will fix it. Now I I I think there’s some gaps in the Oilers lineup that certainly Stan Bowman and the group want want to want to fix. I I’m not worried about the blue line. I’ll be straight forward with you. I I I think the blue line hasn’t played anywhere near it capability. We know that they can play better. So, but in that and I think they need a bolster up front. I need to I think they need some forwards up front. I I I’m a supporter of what they did. Let’s see what Tomasa can do. Let’s see what Ike Howard can do. Let’s see what Matty Seavo can do. Well, you’re a quarter of the way into the season and now they’ve shown some things that they’re capable doing and some things they’re not capable of doing. And I think you got to take some of the pressure off. You know, you obviously Heman back, Ryan Nan Hopkins will come back. You know, Zack Roselovic’s been fantastic. I I want to see a little bit more what I would call a little bit more definition in the bottom part of the lineups, harder to play against, some players that, you know, just can grind down an opponent. Just really grind down. And I I I don’t think they have that in the bottom part of their lineup. And yeah, they’re missing that right now. I’m thinking the goalending conversation’s very interesting because you know Picker last night by far he had 83 save percentage going into that game last night so by far his first his best game of the year. Skinner certainly been up and down more down recently than up. Uh and you know we’ve talked about how they had been defending and I don’t want to hang it all on the goalies. They can definitely defend a little bit better. You said their blue line is capable of playing a little bit better. We were talking about the goalending situation yesterday and I I kind of feel like like Connor Ingram has played 100 games in the National Hockey League. He hasn’t been playing well in the American League, but I almost feel like just to give it a different look, that would probably happen before a trade would happen. Um, but like yesterday I was doing a show with Hustler out of Winnipeg. were doing the lock shop here and he brought up um Lion in in in Buffalo and he’s like there’s a guy who’s different you know you just like cuz no you’re not going to go out and land a number one I don’t think at this point of the season. So are they at a point now I guess is what I want to ask where you just look for something different. It’s a good It’s a good I I guess conversation, Dustin. And sometimes sometimes different is what you what you need. But I’m going to go back to my functioning argument now. Now, Calvin Picker hasn’t played very well this year. I mean, the numbers say that, okay? But if you’re looking for different to fix your defensive problems in the net, I I I I like I think the emphasis has to be we got to play better defensively. We got like that that disaster the other night in in Washington. I mean it like you’re I’m watching and I’m going like you get yourself back into the game because they have some weapons obviously, right? And then you just give it away, give it away, give it away, give it away. And like if that’s the way you’re going to play, you could put Patrick W in the net in his heyday and ain’t going to make a difference. You got to fix your problems. Now that being said, like if you want to change out the goalender in terms of Calvin Pick, Calvin Picker’s been a good goalender. So, he’s had a rough stretch here. Like, does that mean he’s going to continue to have a rough stretch? I I I don’t necessarily believe that. I I think that uh if you can improve the goalending, you you always look to improve. You’re always looking to improve in some area, if you can get a number one, if you can get a better backup, that that’s great. But until they start functioning better defensively, that’s not the answer to me. And and I think that, you know, Connor Ingram, he he he he’s got a long path ahead of him. Make no mistake about it. It like we all hope that Conor can find his way back to the NHL. He’s been terrible in the American Hockey League. You’re going to bring him up to have a different look. No, that ain’t what you do. Now, I if he had 920 save percentage with lights out playing great. Okay, maybe you consider it. You don’t even think about bringing Connor Ingram up. All you’re trying to do right now is hope and support Connor Ingram to try to find his game at the American Hockey League level. bringing them into this right now would be would would would just be it would be foolish. Craig, before we let you go, uh just a quick thought on Montreal because Eric mentioned that uh you know there’s been some thoughts that they’re trying to goalie issues as well. Yeah. Yeah. Mont something different. Good year so far. Uh what do you think? What do you think they a great start, some overtime luck earlier in the year. Coughfield was burying things when he had to. Um but things have fallen off a bit there recently. How do you how patient do you think they’ll be with that? You know, it’s interesting because last year, you know, they ran into a bump, you know, sometime around this part of this season. Uh, Monto’s been terrible. Uh, you know, how So, what do you do? You’re going to trade Sam Monttobo. Again, he’s another player that’s shown that he’s more than capable. I I think the answer very well may be Jacob Fowler if they want to change the goalending out right in Laval. Jacob Fowler’s a and a stud prospect. He’s played very well. He’s not daunted by any type of challenge. I think that would be their first move. But no Kirby Dock, no hooks out, no Kaden Ghoulie. I you start taking players out of a lineup and and you’re relying on more rookies and and and young now you’re extending players. So I think that they got to look at I mean I know Marty’s trying to find a way to to get Monttobo up like he just he he’s terrible right now and games aren’t the place to go try to find your game. you got to get him out of the spotlight. So maybe it’s a case of Dovish going down and you bring up Fowler and see what he can do or maybe you carry three goalenders for a little stretch. But I think internally the answer in the net is would be Jacob Fowler. I think they needed to bolster their lineup outside of the the top group. And I I think that Kent Hughes is probably still looking to try to do that. And Nashville should be open for business because they’re no good. Yeah. Yeah. You tear that thing down. Hey. Well, I mean, what are you What are they? Like, what are the national predators? Like, what they are is is just they’re a leaf twisting in the wind going nowhere. That’s all they are. Then where they land, they’re going to land face down. They’re no good. Like, come on, let’s stop kidding ourselves. And like, they can’t kid themselves. So, open up the phone, say, “Hey, we’re open for business. What do you got?” I think they got to do it hard. They got to go the hard route and say like who’s their star? Roman Yosi. Okay, that’s Yeah, Roman Yosi would be the default answer, right? Yeah. And after that, who who do they have? Well, they got a bunch of guys that they thought were going to come in and carry them to relevance. It just has planned. Yeah. At 35 years of age, you’re counting on guys 35 years of age to turn the fortune of your team. First mistake. You Soros, solid goalender. We know he’s a good goalender and everything, right? Like, name me five good players there on that team. Horsesburg’s a good player. Roman Yoski’s a good player. Go ahead, jump in. I tell you what, the National Predators are like the Buffalo Bills offensive line. No, I can’t I can’t full circle full circle. Craig, great stuff, man. We love having you. Thanks for being flexible this week and we’ll chat with you next Tuesday. I think I will always be flexible. Whatever you need. I when I can be flexible, I’ll always be flexible. There you go. That’s Craig Button. He’s the best. He usually joins us on Tuesdays. Was going to join us on Wednesdays, ended up joining us on Fridays, and still bringing the fire. If there’s any national Predators fans right now, they’re probably like, “Preach, preach.

Craig Button was the first guest on today’s show. He touched on the Oilers loss last night and brought up the positives more than the negatives… then shared on what he thinks the Oilers should do in bolstering this lineup. He finished with some words on the Canadiens and the Predators.

What are your thoughts on the Oilers recent struggles? Drop a comment down below as we read every single one. #oilers #nhl #edmontonoilers #edmonton #edmontonsports #hockey #hockeyteams #sports #connormcdavid #mcdavid #yeg #yegsports